Outlook: Coach Roy Williams has promised to do a better job of “smelling the roses” after his recent cancer scare. And he sincerely means it.

At the same time, his resolve – not to mention his patience – will be constantly tested this season by the makeup of the Tar Heels’ roster. With four first-round NBA draft choices having left the program, two of the most important returnees coming off knee surgeries and a flock of newcomers being counted on to fill prominent roles, no one has any idea what to expect of UNC other than the fact that expectations are typically high.

Though it would be unrealistic not to expect at least some dropoff after the loss of senior Tyler Zeller, junior John Henson and sophomore’s Kendall Marshall and Harrison Barnes, the Tar Heels’ cupboard is anything but bare.

The key to the reloaded lineup is sophomore forward James Michael McAdoo, who was also projected as a lottery pick had he chosen to follow the others into the draft last summer.

McAdoo wasn’t asked to do much for the majority of his freshman season. He spent most of the year trying to stay out of the way rather than exerting his highly touted offensive skills until Henson injured his wrist in the opening minutes of the ACC tournament. Finally given the chance to play extended minutes in meaningful situations, McAdoo rose to the occasion by averaging 10.6 points in his final seven games.

Another player who came on strong after seeing his role increase because of injury was swingman Reggie Bullock. Filling the void left by Dexter Strickland in mid-January, Bullock not only led the Tar Heels with 71 3-pointers, but also proved to be an effective defender because of his length and speed on the perimeter.

At 6-foot-7, Bullock will move over to the small forward spot this season to make room for Strickland and his surgically repaired right knee. Leslie McDonald, who missed all of last season with a similar knee injury, will also back to give UNC a more diverse perimeter threat than it had a year ago.

While four players, along with forward P.J. Hairston, give the Tar Heels a solid nucleus of returners around which to build, the key to their success this season will rest on the shoulders of five talented freshmen. The most important of them is point guard Marcus Paige, who has the unenviable task of replacing Marshall – who won the Bob Cousy Award as the nation’s top point guard.

In the front court, solidly built Joel James and slender Brice Johnson both come with impeccable credentials. But while they acquitted themselves well in UNC’s exhibition game against Shaw, it’s yet to be seen how they will hold up through the rigors of a long season against some of the nation’s best competition.

The final member of the incoming class is J.P. Tokoto, an athletic wing whose contribution probably won’t be as great at the others this season because of the abundance of established players ahead of him in the rotation.

Quotable quotes: “This team has got to play as close to their potential as they possibly can to be successful.” Coach Roy Williams.

“I think people are really going off the sole fact that we lost four guys to the NBA. We have a great team. People have been really selling us short, but that’s fine. It’s not even added motivation, because at the end of the day, we’re North Carolina basketball. Coach puts together championship teams and that’s what we are this year.” Sophomore forward James Michael McAdoo.

“I believe they know that (the freshmen) have to come in and play immediate minutes for us, so I’m pretty sure all of them are ready to step up to the challenge. I just feel like all of them know what they are capable of and … they’re ready to step up to the challenge.” Junior forward Reggie Bullock.

Projection: Anyone that writes the Tar Heels off because they lost four first-round picks to the NBA draft is either thinking with their heart or has greatly underestimated the ability of the players still in the program. Because of its abundance of quick guards and the inexperience of its frontcourt, with the exception of budding star McAdoo, this UNC team will be a quicker, more athletic team than it’s been the past two seasons.

In other words, it will be much more suited to play the up-and-down kind of style Williams prefers.

That having been said, there are inherent dangers involved when a team is forced to pin its hopes on an untested freshman at point guard. The good news in that regard is that UNC’s veteran ballhandling insurance policy, Strickland, has been cleared physically and appears to be back at or near 100 percent physically.

Even if Paige is everything he’s cracked up to be, the Tar Heels will still have to develop a serviceable inside presence to keep from becoming a one-dimensional perimeter team.

This will be the third time in the last decade that Williams and UNC have faced such a transitional situation. In 2006 they overcame the adversity to win 23 games behind the leadership of veteran guard David Noel and a highly motivated freshman class, led by center Tyler Hansbrough. It was a different story four years later, as they stumbled to a 5-11 ACC record and an unwanted trip to the NIT.

Which direction next year’s team goes will depend largely on the speed with which young veterans McAdoo, Bullock and Hairston adjust to their new roles, returning guards Strickland and McDonald bounce back from their injuries and freshmen Paige, James, Johnson and Tokoto handle the pressure that comes with wearing Carolina blue and playing in Chapel Hill.